Control devie for change-speed gears



June 11, 1940. G. MEYER 2,204,143

'ONTROL DEVICE FOR CHANGE-SPEED GEARSl Filed Aug. 21, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z r v bf/ 1516' 7119715' 6 19153 5 l0 June 11, 1940. G MEYER 2,204,143

' coNTnpL DEVICE Fpa CHANGE-SPEED Gmxs Filed Aug. 21,"195'7 2 sneerysneet 2 ,changing cylinders themselves.

Patented June l1, 1940` UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE coN'mor. DEVICE Fon CHANGE-SPEED GEAR Meyer, Friedrichshafen-on-the-Boden- Gustav Application Augen V21, 1937, serial No. 160,314, In Germany August 28, 1936 6 Claims.'V (Cl. 74-364) The invention relates to a control device for the pressure medium of the operating mechanism of change-speed gears, particularly in motor vehicles, and in particular of. gears in which the gear-changing members of two transmission stages or the clutches ofi these stages are connected together and are alternately changed, in certain cases without the gear change rod occupying a middle position. In such gears, a gearchanging cylinder is provided in each case for two transmission stages which are to be engaged alternately for example by dog clutches or change speed clutches. For the engagement of one stage, an acceleration of one of the two clutch members is necessary in known manner, and'for the insertion of the other stage a retardation is necessary, which in both cases may be effected either by the driver by opening or closing the throttle or by means of known auxiliary devices specially provided for the purpose, The supply of pressure medium to one side of each gear-changing cylinder or piston therefore eects the movement for the engagement of a clutch member to be accelerated (acceleration gear change), and the other side the' movement for the engagement of a clutch member which is to be retarded (retardation gear-change).

According to the invention, in such a control device, shut-off members are provided for the pressure medium supplied to individual or all of the gear-changing cylinders, which are in communication with thej-other gear-changing cylinders or are dependent upon the other gear- These shut-'oit members prevent the admission of pressure medium to those sides of the control cylinders which produce an acceleration or retardation gear change as long as one of. the other gear-changing cylinders is operative for the purpose of a retardation or acceleration gear change. Preferably, the arrangement is so contrived that the retardation gear changejs alwaysoperative before the acceleration gear change.

Pressure medium control devices for the gearchanging of gear wheel change speed gears are known wherein each gear-changing cylinder only operates one transmissionstage. In these known constructions, the pressure medium to be supplied to the gear-changing cylinders, both for the movement of a clutch member which is to be accelerated on engagement and also for a clutch member to be retarded, is conducted through control members formed by the piston rods of. all the other gear-changing cylinders. This results in a very complicated, heavy and expensive construction. This construction is therefore limited to gear-changing cylinders which only operate one transmission stage.

Control devices are also known for cylinders having two operative positions and one central position, the admission of pressure medium to another cylinder being controlled by a control member connected to each cylinder (provided on the piston rod). In these devices, the supply of pressure medium to both sides of the cylinder is controlled in each case by the other cylinders. Such devices are'only very rarely employed for the same reasons as those rst mentioned. Their disadvantages are serious particularly in the case of change-speed gears having a large number of. speeds, so that it has not been possible for these devices to become established for such gears.

The device according to the invention obviates these disadvantages and provides a simple, comparatively cheap and a reliable control device for gear-wheel change-speed gears, particularly those having a large number of speeds.

Advantageously, the device is so contrived that only the shut-oft' members for the gear-changing cylinders which, in the driving direction of the gear, operate successive transmission stages are made dependent upon the preceding transmission stages. In addition', the piston rod connected to the piston of each gear-changing cylinder is preferably so constructed that the said rod controls the gear-changing pressure medium for the other gear-changing cylinders, which medium is to be operative for a diierent kind'of gear change. This control may be eiected directly by the piston rods. With particular advantage, however, the shut-off members according to the invention are arranged separately and the pressure medium operative inthe gear-changing cylinders is allowed to act upon said shut-oit' members.

The control device according to the invention will be employed particularly in the case of gears having a main shaft train consisting of more than two parts, and above all in gears having change-speed clutches of the overtaking or synchronising type. In such gears, the device according to the invention is not intended to prevent blocking as in the ordinary gears, but in the latter on the contrary, any combination of simultaneously engaged transmission stages is possible Without blocking. The mutual locking of the transmission stages is effected in this case in order to maintain the correct speed ratio for the clutch members of the transmission stages to be engaged, which ratio may be upset by the rapid reduction in speed of sets of wheels, which are separated from the driving and driven shafts and are running idle. In addition, this step also has the purpose of accelerating as much as possible the gear-changing operation in gear changes requiring the engagement of several transmission stages.

The control device according to the invention, in gears wherein not all'the speeds possible with the existing wheel arrangement are used, makes Y it possible to provide shut-off members according to the invention not for'all gear-changing cylthe lever `|52 and selector rod |53. 'I'he` selector inders but vonly for some of them.

The control device according to the invention .is of importance above all in the case of gears wherein special auxiliary devices of a known type are` provided for retarding or accelerating the clutch member to be engaged. -In such gears, the device according to the invention, in a very simple manner, prevents both the retarding and also the accelerating devices from becoming operative simultaneously, which would prevent the transmission stages from being brought properly into engagement.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 shows a change speed gear in longitudinal section. K

Figure 2, corresponds to the right-hand end part of Figure 1 but shows the gearwheels in position for the'reverse speed.

Figure 3 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the reverse speed gear wheels.

Figure 4 shows mainly in section a vacuumactuated device according to the invention for controlling the change speed gear shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a front View of the speed selecting valve |00 shown in section in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a rear view of the valve member of the speed-selecting Valve |00.

Referring to Figure 1, the main shaft gear train comprises the gear wheels, 1, 8, 9, I0 and the layshaft gear train, the gear wheels II, I2, I3 and I4. The gear wheels, 1, 9, II and I3 are fast on their corresponding shaft sections I, 2, 4 Iand 5 or 6, while gear wheel I0 is freely rotatable on shaft section 3 and gear wheel 4 is splined on shaft section 6. Gear wheels 1, 8, 9, II and I2 are mounted with their hubs I5 in the housing I6, gear wheels 8 and I2 having bores in which the adjacent shaft sections I and 2 or 4- and 5 are mounted. Between the permanently meshed pairs of wheels 1/II, 8/ I2 and 9/ I3 are change-speed dog clutches I1, I8 and I 9, 20, which in the present case, particularly for the purposeof shortening the overall length, are constructed in such a'manner that the clutches I1 and I9 are in the main shaft train and thecorresponding clutches I8 and 20, respectively, are in the layshaft train. The gear changing lever 2| connecting the clutches I1 and I8 together is secured to a shaft 22 and the gear-changinglever 23 for actuating the clutches I9 and 20 is secured to a shaft 24. In addition, on the shaft'` I section, is splined a double dog clutch 25, its teeth 25 being adapted to be brought into engagement with corresponding dogg/teeth of the gear wheel 9, and its teeth 25" being adapted to bevelled end faces, whereby engagement of the clutches is effected in known manner at the moment of overtaking.

Mounted on a further short layshaft is a reversingdrive 30, 3|, (see Figure 3) `the gear wheel 30 whereof can be brought into engagement with the gear wheel I4, when the latter has been shifted to the left, and its gear wheel 3| can be brought into engagement with the gear wheel I0.

For engaging the reverse speed, the gear wheel I4 is rst shifted to the left by means of the lever |50 and selector rod |5I, and then the gear wheels 30, 3| are moved to the right by means of rods have the usual forks |54, |55 for the engagement of the gearshift lever, only the lower end |56 of the latter being shown. The stationary intermediate bar |51 is slotted at |58 for thepassage of the end of the gearshift lever'I56 from one fork to the other and ensures that the gear wheels are shifted in the proper sequence to avoid locking of the transmission. In Figure 2 the right hand end of the transmission is shown with the reverse speed engaged.

The bevelling of the end faces of the dogs indicated in Figure 1 corresponds to the direction of rotation shown atv wheel 1 in Figure 1. Starting for example from the engagementl of the clutch I1 'with the clutch member provided in gear wheel lll 8,.as indicated in Figure 1, and if instead thereof I the clutch :I8 is to be brought into engagement with the corresponding clutch member mounted on gear wheel I2, then when the dogs of clutch I8 are applied to the dogs connected to gear wheel I2, the latter dogs will rst be running more quickly and will therefore reject the dogs of clutch I8 (position of rejection). If now, by opening the throttle, the driver increases the speed of gear wheel 1 and hence also of gear Wheel II and of the clutch I8 connected to shaft 4 of said gear wheel II, the clutch I8 will nally overtake the counter-clutch member connected to gear wheel I2 and the engagement of the clutch will be effected in known manner.

` Engagement takes place in a similar manner when clutch I8 is brought out of engagement and clutch I 1 is engaged. In this case, the clutch member connected to gear wheel 8 is the more slowly running member. The dogs of the, at first, more rapidly running clutch I1, which move past the said clutch member connected to gear wheel 8 will be rejected until, due to the diminishing speed of the engine, their speed will also fall below that of the clutch member connected to gear Wheel 8, engagement then taking place.

If the gear mechanism shown in Figure l permtting eight forward and four reverse speeds is employed as a` seven speed gear, the following vsequence of speeds may be obtained for example,

29 teeth being provided for example ori'the gear wheel 1, 40 teeth on gear wheelr 8, 35 on gear wheel 9, 44 on gear wheel I0, 60 on gear II, 48 on gear wheel I2, 53 on gear wheel I3 and 22 teeth on gear wheel 14;

Forward:

I. Shaft I, gear wheel "I, gear wheel II, shaft 4.

clutch I8, gear wheel I2, gear wheel 8, clutch -|9, shaft 2, gear wheel 9, gear wheel I3,

shaft 6, gear wheel I4, gear wheel I0, clutch 25", shaft 3.

II. Shaft I, gear Wheel 1, gear wheel shaft 4,

clutch I8, gear wheel I2, clutch 20, shaft 5,

\ gear wheel I3, shaft 6, gear .wheel I4, gear Wheel I0, clutch 25",'shaft 3. HI. Shaft I, clutch I1, gear Wheel 8, clutch I9, shaft 2,v gear wheel 9, gear wheel I3, shaft 6, gear wheel I4. gear wheel I0. clutch 25".

Iii)

IV.'Shaft I, gear wheel 1, gear wheel I I, shaft 4, clutch I8, gear wheel I2, gear wheel 8, clutch I9, shaft 2, gear wheel 9, clutch 25', -shaft 3. f V. Shaft I, gear wheel 1, gear wheel II, shaft 4, clutch I8, gear wheel I2, clutch 20, shaft 5, gear wheel I3, gear wheel 9, clutch 25',

shaft 3. VI. Shaft I, clutch I1, gear wheel 8, clutch I9, shaft 2., gear wheel 9, clutch 25', shaft 3 (direct drive).

VII. Shaft I, clutch I1, gear wheel 8, gear wheel I2, clutch 20, shaft 5, gearwheel I3, gear wheel 9, clutch 25', shaft 3 (speed shown in drawing).

A reverse drive is for example:

Shaft I, gear wheel 1, gear wheel II, shaft 4,

, clutch I8, gear wheel I2, gear wheel 8, clutch I9, shaft 2, g'ear wheel 9, gear wheel I3, shaft 6, gearwheel I4, gear wheel 30, gear wheel 3|, gear wheel I0, clutch shaft 3.

If the gear box shown is used as a six-speed As will be seen in Figure fl, mounted on the shaft 22 connected to the operating lever 2I for 4U the change-speed dog clutch I1, I8 is an actuating arm which is adapted to be rocked by the piston rod 36 of a piston 38-slidable in a. cylinder- 31. Opening into said cylinder 31, on the right and left of piston 38 respectively, are con- /ili duits 39 and 40 both of which lead to a speed selector |00.

In the same way, secured to the shaft 24 con- 'nccted to the operating lever 23 for the change- Speed dog clutch I9, 20 is an actuating arm 45 5" adapted to be rocked by the piston rod 46 of a piston 48 slidable in a cylinder 41. Opening into this'cylinder 41 on opposite sides of the piston 48 are respectively conduits 49 and 50, 50', which lead to the speed selector |00, and-of which the conduit 50, 50T opening into the cylinder on the left of piston 48 is adapted to be closed by a spring-opened valve 5I.

Mounted on the shaft 21 connected to the operating lever 26 for the change-speed dog' clutch 25 is an actuating arm 55 which is adapted to be rocked'by means of the piston rod 56 of a piston 58 slidable in a cylinder 51. Openingl into this cylinder on the upper and lower side of the piston 58, respectively, are conduits 59 and 60, 60', 60, the conduit 60 being adapted to be shut off from the conduit section 60 by a springopened valve 6I, and the conduit section 60' from the conduit section 60" likewise by a springopened valve 62.

In the piston rod 36 is formed a groove 65 extending to the cylinder space situated on the left of 'the piston 38. In the right-hand end position of the piston, that is to say, when the clutch I0 is engaged, and in intermediate positions of the piston 39 as far as the position of rejection of clutch I1, the groove 65 is connected to a. further conduit 66 starting from the cylinder 31.` When the piston moves into its extreme left hand end position; that is to say when the clutch I1 is fully engaged, the connection of said conduit 66 to the groove 65 and hence to the cylinder space situated on the left of piston 38, is interrupted by a bridge 6 1. The conduit 66 leads to a cylinder space 68, the slidable piston 69 whereof is adapted to act, for example by meansof a push rod 10, on the valve 5I controlling the supply of pressure` medium to the cylinder 41 on the left of piston 48. In addition said conduit 66 leads to a further cylinder space 1I, the piston 12 whereof is adapted to control the valve 62 provided between the conduit sections 60' and 60". When the piston 38 is in its left hand end position, so that vacuum is shutoff from the conduit 66, air leaks into the spaces 68 and 1I through the clearances provided between the various moving parts, or through a vent orifice specially provided for the purpose, so that the valves 5I and 62 open under the pressure of their springs.

The piston rod 46 is provided with a groove 13 extending to the cylinder space situated to the right of piston 48, which groove, in the left-hand end position of the piston, that is to say when clutch I9 is engaged, and in interr'nediate` positions of the piston 48 up to the position of disengagement of the clutch 20, is connected to a further conduit 14 starting from the cylinder 41, whilst' the connection of this conduit 14 with the groove 13 is interrupted by a bridge 15 in the right-hand end position' of the piston, that is to say, when the clutch 20 is engaged. The conduit 14 leads to a cylinder space 16, the piston 11 whereof is adapted to act on the valve 6I disposed between the conduit sections 60 and 60'. When the piston 48 is in its right hand end position air leaks into the space 16 in the manner described above in connection with the spaces 68 and 1I, with the result that the valve 6I opens. Passages lead from the cylinder spaces on the left of the pistons 69, 12 and 11 to the outer air. A

If the upward gear changes-of the speeds of the seven-speed gear according to the foregoing arrangement are followed one speed at a time,

Of course, as in any change speed gear,` the simple upward changes are retardation gear 'changes and'the simple downward gear, changes are acceleration gear changes, whilst in the case of multiple gear changes, both retardation and also acceleration gear changes are to be performed. The pressure medium conduits 39, 40, 49, 50,

59 and 60 are connected to ports in the rearface of the hollow body of the selector valve |00. Inside .thehollow body is arranged-a valve member 'I03 of complicated shape which is movable by means of a handle I04into seven positions each corresponding to one of the forward speeds. The seven positions are indicated by Vagscale |05 cci-operating with a pointerA I06 provided on thel handle I04. A main pressure medium conduit IUI leads from a port in the centre of the rear face of the casing to the induction system of the engine of the vehicle and an oriflcel02 places the interior of the valve casing in communication with the outer air.

Figure 6 is a view of the valve member I83 from the rear showing the shape of its periphery. The periphery is so shaped-that in each position of the valve the appropriate three pressure medium conduits are connected to the main conduit IDI and the other three are connected to the outer air. The following table shows the various connections: I.

Connected Vacuum speed connections to thgut" The operation of the control device and transmission shown in Figures l, 4, and 6 is as follows: l j

Takingrst the case of a simple .upward gear change, for example from rst speed to second speed, the conduit 49 necessary for the disengagement of clutch I9 and the engagement of clutch 20 will be connected to the source of vacuum after the selection of the second speed by the speed selector |80. The piston 48 situated in its left-hand end position 4is thereby moved to the right, the clutch I9 is disengaged by the lever mechanism 45, 24, 23, and the clutch member 2D is applied to the clutch member provided on lgear wheel I2 where it is at rst rejected on account of its lower speedof rotation.V When the v speed of gear wheel I2 has been reduced, either merely by closing the throttle or by means of a Kspecial auxiliary device by exerting a braking action on the gear wheels-1, II, 8, I2 situated on thev driving side, down t the speed of gear wheel I3 or of the shaft element 5 and hence of the clutch member 28 and begins tb'drop below clutch 28 engages in vknown clutch 25" remains engaged and the clutches .I8

and 20 have to be disengaged and clutches I1 and I9 engaged. Since the clutch I1 is rotating more rapidly than the wheel 8, it is necessary, in order to secure-rapid engagement of vclutch I1 to exert a`. braking action on' clutch I1 in the position of rejection until the overtaking speed has been attained, whilst for rapid engagement of clutch I9, which at first `is rotating more rapidly than the counter-clutch member on wheel 8, acceleration of the clutch memberon. gear wheel 8' is necessary.

For attaining a more rapid course of` the gearchanging operation, the retardation device should vfirst b e operativeaccordingto the invention and then the accelerating-Ydevice. This is accomplished in the following manner. After suitable setting of the gear selector, the vacuum acting through the conduit 39 on the piston 38 moves this piston at first so far to the left that clutch I1 is in the position of rejection at wheel 8. En-

duit section 50' is thereby interrupted. The

vacuum supplied by the gear selector to the conduit 50 upon selecting the third speed cannot thereforeyet act on piston 48. The clutch 28 therefore at first remains engaged. Only when, due to the drop in speed of the engine, the speed of clutch I1 begins to fall below that of wheel 8 is it possible for the piston 38 to move completely -into its left-hand end position and cause engagement of clutch I1. The bridge 61 on the piston rod 36 now Ashuts off the further passage of the vacuum through the conduit 66. Due to the disappearance of the vacuum (on Vaccount; of leakage or by means of a special communication with the outer air) the small piston 69 returns to its left-hand end position. 'I'he valve, 5I is forced to the left by its spring and permits. the passage of vacuum from the conduit 50 to the conduit 50'. 'Ihe piston 48 is now drawn to the left by the vacuum, the clutch 28 comes out of engage-v ment, the clutch member `I9 is applied to the counter-clutch member on wheel 8, where it is at rst rejected on account of the difference in speeds.v It comes into engagement, the pistonI 48 moving into its left-hand end position, as soon as by opening of the throttle (most rapidly by means of an accelerating device of known kind) the-speed of wheel 8 has been increased 'I'he change from second to third speed is thereby completed.

to the overtaking speed.

On changing from third to fourth speed, the clutch I9 remains engaged, whilst the clutch I1 is disengaged and instead thereof the clutch I8 is engaged; likewise clutch 25" will be disengaged and instead thereof clutch 25' will be engaged. Since the clutch I8 rotates more slowly than the clutch member provided on the left of gear wheel I2, it is necessary, in order to secure rapid engagement, for the clutch member I8 to be accelerated in the position of rejection by opening lthe throttle until the overtaking speed has been attained, whilst for'the rapid engagement of the clutch member 25' which at rst rotates more slowly. than the counter-clutch member on the gear wheel 9, braking of the said counter-clutch member is necessary.

By setting the gear selector for the fourth speed, conduits 40 and 59 are connected `to the l source of vacuum. 'I'he piston 38, previously in its left-hand end position, moves to the right, brings the Aclutch I1out of engagement and applies the clutch member I8 to the counter-clutch on the gear wheel I2. The piston 58, previously in its lower end position,'is moved upwardly by the vacuum supplied from conduit 59, brings the clutch member 25" out of engagement and applies the clutch member 25' to the counter-clutch on the gear wheel 9. The two gear wheel pairs 8, I2 and 9, I3 are now uncoupled both from the driving shaft I and also from the driven shaft 3. Owingl to their low mass and the existing oil friction, *their speed falls rapidly. Due to the closing of the throttle by the driver during the gear-changing operation, the speed of the gear wheel pair 1, II connected lto the engine also falls, but substantially more slowly than that of gear wheels v8,l I2, 9, I3. The substantially more rapid drop in speed of the clutch member provided on gear wheel I2, relatively to the clutch member I8, acts in the same wayvas an increase in speed of the clutch member I8, so that after a short time, the clutch member I8 comes into engagement. Due to the further reduction in speed, which may be hastened by braking the driving side, the speed of the clutch member provided in the right of gear wheel 9 is reduced until it falls below that of the clutch member whereupon the latter comes intoengagement: Gear-changing from the third to the fourth speed is thereby concluded.

As examples of downward gear-changing operations, the changes from the fourth to the third, from the third to the second and from the second to the rst speed will now be described..

In the fourth speed, the clutches I8, I9 and 25' are engaged. On changing to the third speed, the clutch I9 remains engaged, Whilst on the contrary, the clutches I8 and 25' are disengaged and instead thereof the clutches I1 and 25H are engaged. As mentioned, the former requires a retardation gear-change and the latter an acceleration gear-change. In the same way as described above in the case of upward gear-changing from the second to the third speed, the vacuum supplied through the conduit 39 to the piston 38, and

further led,.in front of the small pistons 89 and 12, prevents the supply of vacuum to theconduit 'passage of vacuum to the conduit 86 is thereby interrupted by the bridge 81, whereby the pistons 69 and 12 with the valves 5I and 62 are moved to the left under the action of the springs loading said valves. The vacuum supplied through the conduit 88 and arriving at the valve 82 by way of the conduit section 68', is thereby able to pass into the conduit 6,8, and effect the downward movement of the piston 58 in the cylinder 15. The clutch 25 is thereby disengaged and the clutch 25" is applied to the clutch member provided on gear wheel I8. The clutch 25 engages as soon as, by opening'the throttle, the speed of gear wheel I8 has been accelerated to the overtaking speed. Y c' lOn changing to the second speed, the clutch y25" remains engaged, whilst on the contrary, the "clutches I1 and I9 are disengaged and instead thereof the clutches I8 and 28 are engaged. The

engagement of clutch I8 requires an acceleration ofthis clutch. In order to engage clutch 28, the speed ofthe clutch member provided on the right of gear wheel I2 must be reduced to the overtaking speed. On setting the gear selectorv for the second speed, the vacuum supply to the conduits 48 and 49 is released. Both pistons move tothe right from their left-hand end positions. Clutch- -es I1 and I9 are disengaged and clutches I8 and case of clutch I8, so that said clutch can engage. Due to the further lreduction inA speed of the gear wheel, which is now connected with the engine, the speed of the counter-clutch memberon the gear wheel I2 .opposite the clutch member 28 is also reduced, if desired by braking of the gear Wheels connected to the driving side, to the speed of the clutch member 20 or below that speed, so that the clutch member 28 is able to engage. Gear changing from the third to the second speed is thus completed.

In changing from the second to the first speed, the clutches I8 and 25" remain engaged, whilst the clutch 28 must be disengaged and clutch I9 engaged. The latter, after the removal of clutch 28 from engagement, runs more rapidly than the counter-clutch member on the wheel 8. The latter must therefore be accelerated by opening the throttle. This is effected by the fact that on setting the gear selector from the second to the rst speed, the conduit 58 is connected to the source of vacuum. This vacuum is then able to pass the valve 5I Without obstruction and enterthe conduit section 58 to the cylinder 41. AThe piston 48 is thereby moved to the left, the clutch 28 is disengaged and the clutch I9 is moved to the position of rejection. It engages as soon as the overtaking speed has been attained by accelerating the gear wheel 8.

As will be seen from the foregoing,- in the control device described, in some ,of the double gearchanging operations, the cylinders operative for a retardation gear change prevent an acceleration gear change of another cylinder fromtaking place. In the case of othersof the double gearchanging operations, the admission of pressure medium takes place without obstruction for both gear-changing cylinders. In this case, therefore, both previously engaged clutches are disengaged and the two clutch members to be engaged arrive simultaneously at the position of rejection. Due to the reduction in speed of the gear wheels which are running idle in this case, the engagement of .the clutch requiring an acceleration gear change is first effected automatically. This kind of gearchanging 'proceeds in the case of the double changes in which an acceleration gear change is to be elfected in the first gear stage in the driving direction.

As examples of three-fold gear-changing, the changes from the third to the fth' and from the lifth to the third speed will be described. In the third speed, the clutches I1, I9, 25" are engaged. On changing to the fth speed, all these must be disengaged and the clutches I8,'28, 25 must be engaged in their place. The engagement of clutch I8 requires an acceleration gear change while the engagement-of clutch 28 and that of clutch 25' require retardationA gear changes. The pressure medium for the three gear-changing cylinders can enter the conduits 4 8, 49 and 59 directly without obstruction. Therefore, all three clutches are immediately disengaged. Due to the rapid reduction in speed occurring during the idle running of the gear wheel pair 8, I2, the clutch I8 rapidly comes into engagement with the counter-clutch member on the gear lwheel I2. Due to,

the further reduction in speed, which if desired clutches I1, I9 and 25"*engaged. The clutch 75 I1 requires a retardation gear change, whileI the clutches I9 and 25 each require an acceleration gear change. 'I'he vacuum for the retardation gear change is supplied. to the gear changing cylinder 31 through the conduit 39 and, in the manner described above, prevents the admission of the pressure medium necessary for the accel- 6I and the conduit section 69' through the valve l 6,2 and the conduit section 69" to the gear-changing cylinder 51 released. The clutches 20 and 25 now disengage and the clutches I9 and 25" arrive in the -position of rejection at the gear wheels 8 and III respectively. If the gear-changing operation is now not accelerated by opening the throttle and since the speed of the idly running gear wheel pair 9, I3 rapidly falls, the clutch I9'will i'lrst be'engaged at the gear wheel 8, be' cause the said fall in speed acts in the same way as if the speed of gear'wheel 8 had been accel-` erated until it had reached the necessary engagement speed for the clutch I9. The engagement of clutch 25 at the gear wheel I0 is then effected after the speed of the gear wheel III has been accelerated by the driver or by meansv of4 a suitable auxiliary device.4 1f the throttle has already been opened, as yllong as the two clutch members I 9, and `25" arein the position of rejection at the gear wheels 8 and I9, engagement of the two clutches will take place in the same Sequence.

The controldevice according to the inventionv may be employed in 'fundamentally the same way for gear-changing devices operated by pressure or vacuum. It is also not limited to gears of the arrangement, type and transmission ratios shown, but may also be employed in fundamentally the same way for gears of a different type. In particular, for example, instead of subdivided changespeed clutches (for example I1, I9) (arranged on two different shafts), it is also possible to employ one-part change-speed clutches, as shown by the change-speed clutch 25 between the 'gear wheels 9 and I0. Cnversely, the latter may also be replaced by a sub-divided change-speed clutch.

The control device' according to the invention` l may also be employed for gears having different transmission stages from those ofthe example shown, in which case, in certain circumstances, it

is possible by means of the transmission stages,l

to vary the sequence of the operation of the various gear-changing-cylinders and thereby the arrangement `gif the shut-off valves. More particularly, for example, it is also possible if necesr sary to connect the third gear-changing cylinder to a control acting on the admission of pressure medium to one or more of the preceding gear` changing cylinders.

In order to secure the quickest possible course of the gear-changing operation, the device may be so arranged that a special control communication with the outerair is provided in the bridges 61 and 15. -The bridges may alsobe omitted entirely or a communication to the adjacent space in front of the piston of the cylinder concerned may be 'provided lThe latter will be employed above all in control devices' in which, immediately after the end position of the piston of the gearchanging cylinder has been attained, the conduit supplying`the pressure medium is connected l in atleast some of the conduits of one only of said groups, uid-pressure-operated means other than said pistons for .closing said shut-off valves, and a connecting conduit between each of said fluid-pressure-operated means and a conduit of f the other of said groups.

2. In a control device as claimed in claim 1, a valve device in each of said connecting conduits operatively connected to the piston corresponding to the group conduit to which the connecting conduit is connected, so as to interrupt said conduit connection when said piston reaches its end position consequent upon pressure variation in said group conduit.

S. A control device for a gear wheel change` speed gear comprising a plurality of duid-pressure-operated gear-shifting pistons, a speed selecting valve `for selectively controlling the flow of pressure medium to the cylinders of said pistons, a group of conduits leading from said selecting valve to one end of each cylinder, a group of conduits leading from said selecting valve to the other cylinder ends, normally open shut-olf valves in all except one of the conduits of one only of said groups, fluid-pressure-operated means other than said pistons for closing said -shut-o valves, and a connecting' conduit between each of said fluid-pressure-operated means and 'a conduit of the other of said groups.

4. A transmission comprising in combination a gear wheel change speed gear of the kind having disengageable positive engaging gear-change members for eiecting changes of ratio, acceleration of the driving shaft being necessary for the engagement of some of said gear-change members and retardation ofthe driving shaft being necessary for the engagement of others, and in.

which the selection of at least one of the gear ratios requires the engagement of gear-change members requiring acceleration and of gearvchange members requiring retardation, anda control device comprising tluidf-pressure-operated ratively connected with said gearpistons Vo change mbers, a speed selecting valve 'for s electively controlling the flow of Apressure medium to the cylinders of said pistons,v a group of conduits leading from said vselecting 'valve'to those :lcylinder ends in which a variationof pressure causes movementof .the corresponding pistonto requiring acceleration of the driving shaft for 'eilect the engagement -of gear-change members Y their engagement, a group of conduits leading Y from said selecting valve to the other cylinder ends, normally open shut-oftUvalves in all the conduits of one only ofsaid groups except the conduit leading to the cylinder pertaining to the gear-change member shifting Vmechanism nearest the driving end of the change speed gear, fluidpressure-operated means other than said pistons for closing-said shut-off valvesfa connecting conduit between each of' saidilui'dpressure--operatedl means respectively and that conduit of the other of said groups which is connected to the cylinder 75 pertaining to the gear-change member shitting mechanism which precedes the gear-change member shifting mechanism pertaining to the cylinder in the group conduit of which the shutoil valve operated by the iluid-pressure-operated means is situated. i

5. In. a transmission as claimed inv claim 4, a further shut-oil valve arranged in series with the shut-oil valve in the conduit leading to the cylinderI pertaining to a third gear-change member shifting mechanismr from the driving end of the change-speed-gear,. fiuid-pressure-operated means for closing said further shut-oil valve, and a connecting conduit between said uid-pressure-operated means and that conduit of the other of said groups which is connected to the cylinder pertaining to the rst gear-change member shifting mechanism. K

6. A transmission comprising in combination.v a gear wheel change speed gear of the kind having disengageable positive engaging gear-change members for leffecting changes of ratio, acceleration of the driving shaft vbeing necessary for the engagement of someof said gear-change mem- 25 bers and retardation of the driving shaft being necessary for the engagement of others, and in which the selection of at least one of the gear ratios requires the engagement of gear-change members requiring acceleration and of gearchange members requiring retardation, and a control device comprising duid-pressure-operated pistons operatively connected with saidv gear -their eng-agement, a second group of conduits leading from'said selecting valve to the other cylinder ends, normally open shut-ofi valves in at least some of the conduits of said nrst group, fluid-pressure-operated means other than said pistons for closing saidshut-oil valves, and a connecting conduit between each of said 4fluidpressure-operated means and a conduit of said second group.

GUSTAV MEYER. 

